"The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him" - Proverbs 11:1 (NIV).
If you talk of failed leadership there is King Ahab who might come off as perhaps the worst example of a leader. Once he craved after a vineyard of a neighbour (I King 22). When his request was turned down he went back home sulking. It is there that his wife, a one Jezebel, found him. On getting to know what was troubling him, she teased and tounted him, "Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite" (vv 7).
Jezebel's plan was simple. Frame up Naboth as rebellious subject, quickly arrange a kangaroo trial, convict him to death, and then get the vineyard. Incredibly, her ruse worked. After writing letters and sealing them in Ahab's name, all the "elders and nobles" gathered and once two scoundrels had falsely accused Naboth, they gathered him up and stoned him to death. "When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard" (vv 16).
All seemed fine. But there was someone watching. Soon after the Lord sent a man of God, Elijah, to bring to King Ahab's attention a small matter. "I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. He says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free" (vv 20- 21).
Being unjust is what Ahab had done- putting an innocent man to death to grab his possession. As we all know nothing has changed much since- around us are evil people who excel in grabbing their neighbours property through falsehood. But someone is watching. For "As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid, So is he who makes a fortune, but unjustly; in the midst of his days it will forsake him, And in the end he will be a fool" (Jeremiah 17:1).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham and maker of heaven and earth, you are a God who hates unjust gain and today I pray to earn your favour by being fair to all in all my affairs, this I pray in Jesus's name.
Related upcoming events
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02/05/2024 - 03/05/2024 All day“That is why for Christ’s sake I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10)
We all crave to be blessed in life. But was there a believer who was so blessed beyond any circumstances without experiencing some sort of discomfort, in one way or another! A person may apparently be blessed in every single way yet have one troubling matter that constantly drives him down to his knees.
The one mightily blessed with riches may have a family situation that leaves him ever on edge. Someone who seems to be at the height of his profession may be living with an ailment that keeps him ever on tentacles. The one blessed with abundant health might from time to time be dealing with financial woes.
Why do such troubling situations plague even believers? One explanation could be found in the Apostle Paul’s life. Called into ministry and endowed with many gifts, including amazing revelations from above, yet he had a matter that constantly drove him on his knees. “Therefore in order to keep me from being conceited, I was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan, to torment me” (2 Cor 12: 7).
Paul would often cry out to God to free him of this particularly troubling matter. But the Lord came back with, “My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in your weakness” (2 Cor 12: 9).
The comfort of this lesson is that God is completely aware of whatever might be ever troubling us. Moreover, it could be purposely there, that we constantly place our faith in Him, other than relying on our strength and resources, especially as He blesses us in other uplifting ways.
Prayer for today: Lord Father in heaven, today I pray that whatever matter is constantly troubling me, I know it is for a purpose and you are in total control, to bless me even more, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
